College ROI

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Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA 6,552 Undergrads 89.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$82,026
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$50,062
After Aid
Median Earnings
$108,517
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$50,062
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$108,517
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$109,183
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate89.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.2
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients11.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS90.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
48.0%
SAT Avg
1,426
SAT Reading
25th: 67068575th: 730
SAT Math
25th: 68072575th: 760
ACT Composite
25th: 313275th: 33

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$908k
+$441k
+$423k
Median Cost$50k/yr
+$728k
+$261k
+$243k
Full Cost$82k/yr
+$613k
+$146k
+$128k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
25
∞
Median Cost$50k/yr
33
135%
Full Cost$82k/yr
42
43%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return172%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-14%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (4yr)
$130,087
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$406k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,839
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$356k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$70,331
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$114,426
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$288k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$105,594
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$221k
Median Debt
$17,832
Earnings (4yr)
$84,206
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Median Debt
$24,833
Earnings (4yr)
$163,765
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$659k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,894
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,499
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$273k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$121,307
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$340k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$139,616
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$457k
Engineering Physics
BachCIP: 1412
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,154
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,650
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$14,490
Earnings (4yr)
$118,737
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$321k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$248k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,430
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,995
Earnings (4yr)
$153,926
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$585k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,712
Earnings (4yr)
$104,723
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$214k
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$147,013
Natl Median: $118,943
Lifetime Value Added
+$533k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,342
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$122,111
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$346k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$72,889
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$93,518
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (4yr)
$75,742
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$65,015
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$77,833
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$115,965
Natl Median: $86,165
Lifetime Value Added
+$427k

Master's Degrees

Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$88,639
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Median Debt
$59,170
Earnings (4yr)
$195,995
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$979k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$102,953
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
+$156k
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$77,194
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$231,929
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
+$1276k
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$108,364
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$221k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$196,786
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$986k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $117,106
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$127,993
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$437k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$170,120
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$756k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$32,690
Earnings (4yr)
$79,448
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,640
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,570
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $157,305
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,982
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$180,127
Earnings (4yr)
$148,599
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$272k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $144,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.